Hitch, Trailer, and Towing Discussion

The 95PA I just sold had a humongous trunk and a trunk mat. I have hauled 10 bags of mulch in the trunk of that sucker.

And the 2000 Regal has the back seats that fold down, that comes in handy too.

I like your trailer AA.
I like hauling stuff.
There is a huge rock that our construction crew dug up at work...I am probably going to bring it home on the dump truck and put it out by the driveway entrance with the other huge boulders...

Bert

Here's a few pics from this spring. Helping my friend move. I made two 60 mile round trips, averaging 18.6 MPG:



Made a 50 mile trip a couple weeks ago hauling a dozen 6x6"x10 ft long fence posts. These weigh around 130lb each. I estimate the total weight of this load to be about 2,000 lbs. Rear shocks pumped to 96 PSI, lots of hills on this trip:

Impressive!

Thats a pretty slick set up, is the ball removable?

Yes, the ball slides out and a plastic cap covers the receiver. It's almost invisible from the back of the car.

im chopping my exhaust off and getting a hitch for a jet ski... gonna own noobs with a trailer

woot

hey i was wondering if anyone has wired in a lighting harness for a trailer. whats the best way to go about doing this, just need break lights and blinkers to be wired to a harness for when i am toeing my trailer, any help at all would be aawsome.
thanks

I've done it. Just remove the Riv's tail lens piece and tap in to the existing wires. The plug's reversed connector (white wire) on the end is ground. The other 3 are hot for lights, brake, and signal. I think brake and signals are actually the same wires, just like on the car (if your trailer is wired correct). The brown wire is for tail lights and side markers, the yellow and green wires are for the left and right blinkers and brake lights.

To tap the wires, you can cut or strip the insulation and use crimp connectors, or solder and heat shrink/tape.

cool thanks alot. did you run the wires down and under the car or should i just wire it in and leave the wires in my trunk when im not trailing anything. i know when i had my truck the wires were ran down under the bumper and hung under the car coiled up when i wasnt useing it but i think taht would look stupid on my riv.

I took them straight down from behind the tail lamps. I think I tied them to the body with zip ties for strain relief. They hang down under the bumper and I push everything inside the front of the receiver when not in use. Put the plastic cap over it and you can't see anything.

Here's a wiring diagram from the sequential tail lamps write-up. The top portion is OEM wiring, might help you out:

from: https://rivperformance.editboard.com/everything-else-f9/you-might-race-a-buick-if-t6318.htm#90458

AA wrote:

That's great stuff. My Riv makes a great tow vehicle.

I have been somewhat apprehensive about installing a hitch and towing a utility trailer with the Riv because I'm afraid of what it might cost in regards to another trans rebuild.!!!

BTW, we broke a record this morning for the number of people on the site at one time.

Rickw wrote:

AA wrote:

That's great stuff. My Riv makes a great tow vehicle.

I have been somewhat apprehensive about installing a hitch and towing a utility trailer with the Riv because I'm afraid of what it might cost in regards to another trans rebuild.!!!

BTW, we broke a record this morning for the number of people on the site at one time.

lockup torque converter should keep the temps down. Just don't try to hold 85 with your trailer on! I am thinking about towing my dad's MG back from FL next spring with my Riv.

Also, I have a PT and can change the TCC lockup for more agressive towing mode - keep the converter locked up longer to hold temps down.

Quote :

Also, I have a PT and can change the TCC lockup for more agressive towing mode - keep the converter locked up longer to hold temps down.

I do the opposite. I use the normal easy-release TCC program, because when towing heavy loads (1000+ lb) uphill, the engine will knock as if you're using 87 octane. The trans gets warmer without TC lock-up, but I'd rather run a little hot than listen to the pinging.

You could also try cutting some timing or swap to a smaller SC pulley in addition to the aggressive lock-up. Or install a trans cooler and don't worry about it.

Yep, already have a big tranny cooler. I could also remove the S/C belt for the long tow. Hmm, wait, my S/C belt is already off!!!

moved from: https://rivperformance.editboard.com/riviera-reviews-specs-f15/towing-capacity-t5543.htm

Anyone know the towing capacity for a supercharged '98? And would you consider it increased with 3.29 gearing along with upgraded suspension and brake parts, plus a nice big transmission cooler?



Just looking for opinions. I'm thinking about a long trip with a trailer...

Here's an interesting article...

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/the-great-american-anti-towing-conspiracy/

I've towed 2000 lb (including trailer) for 50 miles, no trans cooler. Biggest problem I had wasn't the transmission heating up, it was engine knock. May need to demod the engine a little for serious towing.

My biggest concern with towing would be the potential for liability in the event of an accident. I have heard(read about) horror stories about lawsuits involving pickup trucks and trailers.
Please dont shoot the messenger

Bert

^^^ Which do you think will stop faster and handle better in a panic situation?

A) 4000 lb Riviera with suspension & brake mods + 2000 lb trailer

or

B) 6000 lb SUV/truck + 3000 lb trailer

The trailer I am going to pull does have electric brakes, so that will certainly help on the stopping front, and although my load is a car, it's a very light car. The trip is very long, and my van gets 10-12 mpg, so I was thinking about taking the Riv as the load (from a HD standpoint) is pretty light.

My bringing up the potential for liability was not intended to be critical of the Riv's towing ability but to cause reflection on the aftermath of a serious accident involving any vehicle that is in the process of towing a trailer.
In todays litigious society the Barristers and the Insurance company lackeys would point fingers and lay blame wherever possible.


Bert

I went over this discussion for many many years as a former GM for Uhaul. The hitch that is installed on my Riviera is a Class II reciever hitch which is rated for 3500 pounds towed weight and 300 pounds tongue weight. The GM manual as previously stated limits the user to 1000 pounds. The dilemna is much greater and much simpler than most people consider. As the previous statement of a riviera vs a heavier sport utility would suggest the favor going to the brake modded car; however, the SUV would win that fight hand over fist. Shear mass is the equation. The brakes only work against the car, the trailer's mass multiplied by velocity squared becomes the force against the stopping vehicle. The minor modifications made to the car mean little vs the larger tire surfact and significant greater mass of the truck.
I heard time and time again, "My car has 350 Horse power, it can pull anything on your lot." Truth be told, my lawn tractor could pull anything on that lot and often did. No one would question that the 500 pound mass of the tractor would be insufficient to stop the trailer to avoid an accident.
DOT generally rated a vehicle to pull trailer weight up to 1000 pounds less than the curb weight of the vehicle. Warranties and manufacture labels erred to caution.
I have seen some absolutely horrific trailer accidents where some cowboy thought he knew more than the manufacture and DOT. Scary stuff.

i have a dual jetski setup. ive towed it many times with my riv. over 2k lbs fully loaded. it can tow it, but its not fun. our torque comes when under boost. at a thousand lbs less, i think youre alright.

BTW, if anyone needs a towbar and hitch setup, ive got one for sale. fits g bodies such and rivs and auroras.

Just make sure when towing to shift out of overdrive into 3rd. Learned this the hard way. I have got a nice new transmission now.

Quote :

As the previous statement of a riviera vs a heavier sport utility would suggest the favor going to the brake modded car; however, the SUV would win that fight hand over fist. Shear mass is the equation. The brakes only work against the car, the trailer's mass multiplied by velocity squared becomes the force against the stopping vehicle. The minor modifications made to the car mean little vs the larger tire surfact and significant greater mass of the truck.

Not sure how the SUV would "win" in the example I provided. Both vehicles are loaded with 50% their vehicle weight, so comparing it to a 500 lb tractor would only be fair if the tractor was towing 250 lb. The Riviera in the example has been upgraded with a braking system comparable to that supplied with the SUV, yet the Riviera's total mass (with trailer) is 33% less than the SUV's total mass. Also, the Riviera has a lower center of gravity, plus a firmer suspension with the upgrades.

So again the only way the SUV would "win" is if the two vehicles slammed into one another. The intention was to illustrate which vehicle combo would be safer at handling on the road - preventing an accident. I don't think you can just say mass + wider tires always makes a vehicle handle better. Seen too many flipped SUVs to believe that. I think the vehicle that is loaded lighter overall (Riv) has the safe handling advantage.